Self-cleaning bearing for submerged shafts.



W. L. FORWARD. I SELF GLEANING BEARING FOR SUBMERGED SHAFTS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG. 29, 1910. I

1,028,564, Patented June 4, 1912.

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an s -ma ns PATENT OFFICE,

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR '10 BYRON JACKSON IRON WORKS, 1510,01?SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF GALI- Patented June a, 1912.

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SELF-CLEANING BEARING FOR SUBMEEGED SHAFTS.

1,928,5fid. Specification ofvl'aetters Patent.

, Application filed December 29, 1910. Serial N0. 600,000.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER L. FORWARD,

citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley,

State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Se'lfCleaning Bear- I ings for Submerged Shafts, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to shaft bearings and especially pertains to pumpbearingswhich are submerged.

The object of this invention is to provide as hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich-- Figure 1 is a central section through a portion of a turbinepump showing the improved self-cleaning bearing. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the automatic cleaning cap. Fig. 3 isa transverse section across thecap. It is desirable to provide a bearing for pumps in which one of thebearings of the driving shaft, as A, may be protected to the greatestpossible extent from the grit and accumulation of foreign materials thatwould be apt to enter the bearing and cut or ind the shaft or thebearing causing rap d wear of the parts. Inthe present embodiment of myinvention the shaft Ais supported in a Babbitt sleeve 2 which is shownas lining the hub or hearing 3 of. the frame of a pump or other machine,as indi 'cated at B. The upper end of theBabbit-t lining 2 projectsslightly above the upper end of the bearing hub 3 and is embraced by asuitable cap or collar 4 within the bore 5 of which the babbitt 2 has arunning fit on its exterior, as at 6., so that during the operation ofthe pump impeller fluid under pressure leaks around the running joint 6.

'As clearlyshown in Fig. 2, the cap or collard; is providedwith aplurality of diametrically disposed opposite ports or passageways 8communicating withthe bore 5 in the cap 4. Adjacent one edge of each,port 8 on opposite sides of the bearing cleanmg cap 4 and on oppositesides of the diametrical lineprojected through the cap 4 in the countyof Alameda and.

upon the water to discharge trifugal force, said cap having a port 11c;

are disposed small blades, projections or vanes 9, which, when the shaftA is revolving, impel the water leaking'past the running joint 6 intothe chamber 5 outwardly by centrifugal force through the ports 8.

When the impeller 7 of the pump is running a suction created in thepassageway of the chamber 13 causes a current of water to ascend throughthe pump and a small percent-age of the water finds access to thechamber 5 through the running joint 6 between the cap 4 and the babbitt2.-

The essential function of the ca 4 with its impelling vanes 9 is torapidly ischarge all fluid and its suspended particles of grit or otherforeign material upwardly through the ports 8, thereby preventin theirsettling uponv the exposed end of the abbitt 2, and preventing theirtraveling downward around the shaft A and into the bore of the 'babbittand grinding the parts.

It'will be seen that the Babbitt sleeve 2 extends above the cast ironboss 3 in such a manner as to permit the sand cap to come down over theend of the same so that the sand or other grit in the water, if the samewere to work toward the hearing, would have to follow a path which leadsbetween the rotating sand cap secured on the shaft and the Babbittsleeve, as indicated by the arrow at. As the particles of sand passforward between these two members they enter the chamber 5 where theyare thrown into contact with the vanes located on the inside of the sandcap and caused to flow outwardly by centrifugal force through the ports8 of the cap 4.

Having thus described my invent-ion, What I claim anddesire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A self-clearing bearing comprising a shaft,'asleeve therefor, and a cap chambered to receive the end of the sleeveand having a running fit, therewith, said cap being secured upon theshaft and having a plurality of ports and having means upon the interiorfor positively discharging water by centrifugal force through saidports.

2. A self-clearing. bearing comprising a,

Shaina sleeve therefor, and a cap secured to the shaft, said cap havinga running fit with the upper end of the sleeve and said cap having achamber with means therein acting the same by centhroughwhich thedischarge of water takes place.

3. A cleaningdevice for submerged shaft bearings comprising a shaft, abearing mem-- ber adapted to receive said shaft, a cap secured upon theshaft and'having a port, said,

caphaving also, a chamber adapted to receive the end of the bearingmember and having a running fit therewith, and means on the interior ofthe cap for discharging fluid leaking ast the bearing member into thechamber 0 the cap, said means including a vane formed upon the interiorof the cap and adapted to discharge water by centrifugal force through aport formed in the cap adjacent the vane.

4. A cleaning device for submerged shaft bearings comprising a shaft, abearing member adapted to receive said shaft, a

adapted to of the cap,

cap secured upon the shaft port, said cap having also, a chamber receivethe end ot the bearing member and having a running fit therewith, andmeans for discharging fluid leaking past the hearing said meansincluding a plurality of impeller vanes formed upon the interior of acap and adaptedto discharge fluid by centrifugal force thrcu h portsformed in the wall of the cap a vanes. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set presence of two subscribing myhand in the wltnesses. 7 WALTER L. FORWARD. Witnesses:

G. H. STRONG, CHARLns EDELMAN.

and having a 20 member into the chamber '25 i m h cf-the so

